


What Are Friends For?

by AnxiouslyGoing



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Budding bromance, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort Adjacent, conjecture about abuse, conjecture about eating disorder, hints at tarsus, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-08 00:44:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20985170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnxiouslyGoing/pseuds/AnxiouslyGoing
Summary: It's no secret that Jim Kirk isn't Uhura's favorite person on campus. But for the sake of one of the people she actually does like, Uhura agrees to meet up with Kirk for tutoring. And while the meeting doesn't end as well as it had started, Uhura finds that while Kirk may not be her favorite person around, he's far from her least favorite.





	What Are Friends For?

They weren't quite to what Nyota would have called friends, but she did consider McCoy to be a friend, which placed Jim in the "friend of a friend" category. So when he called her up asking for tutoring in Standard Sign Language so he could help Bones out when he had a migraine, Nyota found herself unable to turn him down. 

** **

Kirk proved to be a quick study when it came grammar of SSL, and soaked up every vocabulary word he could. Nyota had to admit she was impressed by how quickly he took to it. If he was anything like this in his regular classes there was no doubt in her mind he'd succeed with his crazy three year plan.

** **

"No way! Are you sure it was Kirk?" 

** **

Jim glanced over at the small group of cadets across the common area when he heard his name.

** **

"I'm telling you, it was him," the first cadet assured. "This grasshopper or something comes and hits him square between the eyes, and I'm not joking, man, he practically jumped into McCoy's arms. I seriously thought he was gonna start crying." 

** **

Uhura turned back to Jim, his face was completely empty. She gripped his arm. "Are you ok?" 

** **

Jim forced a brave smile. A smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Course," he assured. 

** **

"That guy has some serious issues. I'm pretty sure I heard Pike asking him if he's been eating," another of the cadets spoke 

** **

"What, you think he's bulimic or somethin?" A third scoffed.

** **

JIm cleared his throat. "Hey, thanks for the help. I'll see you later, ok?" 

** **

"Jim-" Uhura tried to call, but he was already walking away. 

** **

"Maybe he was abused or something. People like that have  _ issues."  _

** **

Uhura watched Jim leave, the change in his posture was so painfully obvious. He seemed to be drifting rather than his usual bounce. She stood with an eerie calm and strode up to the other cadets, her shoulders drawn back and jaw set in a hard line. 

** **

"There's Uhura, maybe she knows." The cadet who had spoken first raised his hand to catch her attention

** **

Before she really had an awareness of what her body was doing Nyota found herself standing toe to toe with a cadet six inches taller than self. The one who had so mockingly recounted Jim's near panic attack from a few days previous

** **

"Hey, Uhura, you've hung out with that Kirk guy. You think he was abused to, right? Nobody freaks out that bad over a bug otherwise. He's totally unstable, I mean-" 

** **

There was a flash of red and the cadet hit the ground with a loud thud. The other cadets stared at their fallen comrade moaning on the ground and barely holding on to consciousness. 

** **

"I think," Nyota said coldly, "you had better watch how you talk about him." She sent an icy glare to the others standing around to make sure her messages was heard before turning on her heels and stalking away.

__

** **

“Heard you broke a guys nose last night." 

** **

Nyota turned around to find Jim looking something akin to sheepish as he offered her a small smile. 

** **

"He had it coming," she shrugged casually and scooted over to make room for him. 

** **

Jim sat next to her on the bench and for a moment neither spoke. 

** **

"He wasn't wrong," Jim's voice was almost inaudible. "I mean, I'm not bulimic, but…" he trailed off with a shrug.

** **

"You don't have to explain. And it doesn't make it right for him to say it," Nyota replied in an equally hushed tone. 

** **

Jim nodded and rubbed his palms together. "You shouldn't have done that. You shouldn't be sticking your neck out for me. You don't even  _ like _ me." 

** **

Nyota slid her hand between his and gave one a small squeeze. "Just because I like your roommate better, doesn't mean I don't like you at all." 

** **

Jim laughed a little. "You know, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

** **

"And if you ever say that I did, I'll break  _ your _ nose." 

** **

Jim laughed again, a little brighter, a little louder. "Yeah, I believe that." 

** **

Nyota smirked and shoulder him. For another minute they sat in a comfortable silence. " _ Are _ you ok?" 

** **

"Jury's still out. But really. Thank you. It's...been a long time since anyone defended me like that."

** **

"What are friends for?" She asked with a smirk.

** **

Jim gaped at her, but if Uhura noticed his staring, she didn't comment on it. Opting instead to nudge him with her shoulder.

** **

"Y'know, If you really feel that bad about nearly getting me in trouble, you could always get me a coffee." 

Jim grinned. "Done." 

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a discussion post by BeautyGraceOuterSpace   
https://beauty-grace-outer-space.tumblr.com/post/187224798479/prompt-nyota-overhears-someone-talking-shit-about


End file.
